THE BLACK-FACED RAM. 

 PLATE XV. 



The Ancient, or Black-faced Heath-breed, extends 

 from the north-western parts of Yorkshire to all the 

 high districts of the Highlands, particularly those of 

 the western coast. It is by far the most picturesque 

 looking of our sheep, and, with wild little Kyloe, is 

 a fitting accompaniment to the landscape of our north- 

 ern hills. It is extremely active and hardy, even 

 somewhat goat-like in its motions and scansorial ha- 

 bits ; of a firm, compact make, a piercing and wild- 

 looking eye ; the horns in the male very large and 

 voluminous, more convoluted than even in the Me- 

 rino ; the wool long, coarse-like and shaggy ; the 

 face and legs always black. There are spurious 

 breeds, which have the face and legs brownish, and 

 spotted with black ; but, in the words of Dr Walker, 

 in the true ram " his face and slender legs are black 

 as jet, without any mixture of white." The flesh or 

 mutton is fine grained and well flavoured, but the 

 wool is coarse, and comparatively unprofitable, which 

 has of late caused a considerable change of the north- 

 ern stock to the Cheviot breed, which are found to be 

 nearly equally hardy, and to yield a more profitable 



